The Basic Prosecution Office in Mitrovica has ordered the Municipal Election Commission to restart the counting of ballots at the Municipal Counting Center in South Mitrovica, following reports of irregular serial numbers on some ballot papers.
Valon Preteni, spokesperson for the Basic Prosecution in Mitrovica, confirmed to Reporteri.net that two police officers will remain present throughout the entire recount process to ensure security and transparency.
Meanwhile, Central Election Commission (CEC) spokesperson Valmir Elezi announced that the verification of results in the Municipal Center of South Mitrovica will resume at 16:00.
“We inform you that the verification process will continue at 16:00 in the Municipal Center of South Mitrovica,” said Elezi.
The Mitrovica Prosecution had temporarily suspended the counting process last night due to suspicions of ballot manipulation, pending an official response from the Slovenian printing company “Cetis,” which produced the ballots.
Printing Company Admits Technical Error
Following an internal investigation, Cetis acknowledged that a printing error had occurred during production, resulting in discrepancies in serial numbers on some ballots.
The CEC confirmed that it had received an official explanation from the company regarding the issue, which affected ballots used in the November 9, 2025 local elections in South Mitrovica and Gjakova.
According to the CEC statement, the problem occurred in one of the four printer heads responsible for printing the polling station numbers, while the quality control system monitored only the serial number (QR code) — meaning the error was not detected during printing.
“Cetis takes full responsibility for this technical error,” the company said, emphasizing that “the ballots contain multiple security features that make forgery or duplication impossible.”
The company expressed its deep regret over the incident and confirmed that it remains fully available to the CEC to assist in the investigation and verification process.
Political Reactions and Calls for a Revote
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has called for a revote in the municipality, citing loss of public trust due to the irregularities.
Meanwhile, the CEC continues to review all technical findings to ensure the integrity and legitimacy of the election process in Mitrovica and other affected areas.
